Michael Healy-Rae
Ceist:384. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if an appointment will be expedited for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17171/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraHospital Appointments Status
Ceisteanna (384)
Freagraí scríofa
Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
Ceisteanna (385)
Mark Ward
Ceist:385. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health if Covid-19 community swabbers will receive the €1,000 bonus offered to healthcare workers; if not, the reason for this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17173/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Firstly, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their efforts during this most challenging period. The Government announced a COVID-19 recognition payment for front-line public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. The measure will be ring fenced to staff ordinarily on site in COVID-19 exposed healthcare environments within the period between 1 March 2020 and 30 June 2021. This payment will be made to those eligible public sector front-line healthcare staff (inclusive of agency staff working for the HSE) who worked in clinical settings, noting this list is not exhaustive: those Doctors / Nurses / Health Care Assistants / Swabbers / Porters / Cleaners etc. that work in clinical settings. The measure encompasses Health Care Support Assistants (also known as Home Carers / Home Help) employed by or carrying out duties contracted to the HSE. The measure also encompasses those eligible working on site in long term residential care facilities for people with disabilities (inclusive of those facilities whether HSE or section 39). The measure further extends to those equivalent healthcare workers in private nursing homes and hospices. Arrangements for this sector encompassed by this measure are currently being progressed by the Department of Health. The Department of Health appreciates the levels of interest this announcement has generated. We are working together with the HSE to provide additional details on this measure including full eligibility criteria, particulars and terms and conditions that apply. Additionally, the Department and the HSE are currently consulting with health sector trade unions on this matter. This consultation is part of the Department and HSE’s objective to finalise the application of this measure fairly. Upon conclusion of consultations with the trade unions, full details of the application process, FAQs and other particulars shall be published by the HSE. Noting that the details will be finalised once this consultation has concluded, it would be inappropriate to comment any further at this point.
Health Services Staff
Ceisteanna (386)
Richard Bruton
Ceist:386. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the conditions that have been imposed on section 39 organisations delivering community care before restoration of FEMPI pay cuts can be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17175/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the very important role played by those working in Section 39 organisations in our communities.
Under section 39 of the Health Act 2004, the HSE provides financial assistance to organisations by means of a grant. Section 39 legally underpins the provision of services similar or supplementary to a service that the HSE may provide. Staff in these section 39 organisations were not subject to the provisions of FEMPI legislation and therefore did not receive those cuts that were applied to the pay of public servants. They were not and are not party to the Public Service Agreements and are therefore not covered by the pay restoration provided for in these Agreements. While it is understood that pay savings were made by the organisations, the precise mix of pay cuts or other savings measures will have varied.
In October 2018, an agreement was reached by the parties at the Workplace Relations Commission in relation to a process of pay restoration for staff employed in Section 39 organisations who met certain criteria. A further WRC engagement followed in December 2020 in relation to a final phase of 250 organisations who were identified as part of the earlier agreement. A payment arrangement consisting of three phases was agreed with the first two payments made in 2021, and the third and final payment due to be made in 2023.
Pay restoration was applicable to Section 39 organisations who met certain criteria, rather than types of individual workers that are employed in them. Eligible Section 39 organisations included only agencies that had service arrangements in place back in 2013 and that were still under service arrangements in 2019. Only organisations who received in excess of an agreed, specified amount from the HSE by way of the Service Level Agreement process were included.
Pay restoration is absolutely limited and only applicable to those included in the initial WRC agreement. I can also confirm that there is no scope to revisit the eligibility criteria for the process and that from a Departmental point of view, the process has reached a final resolution.
Disease Management
Ceisteanna (387, 389)
Bernard Durkan
Ceist:387. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which adequate provision continues to ensure the availability of medicines to treat orphan or rare diseases; the extent to which the provision is adequate based on experience; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17180/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraBernard Durkan
Ceist:389. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which the testing of new drugs to treat rare or existing diseases continues to be a matter for attainment in the short to medium term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17182/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 387 and 389 together.
The Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 gives full statutory powers to the HSE to assess and make decisions on the reimbursement of all medicines taking account of a range of objective factors, clinical benefits, cost effectiveness and expert opinion as appropriate.
HSE decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds, on the advice of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE).
The HSE Drugs Group is the national committee which the HSE has in place to make recommendations on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines. The role of the Drugs Group is to make a recommendation to the HSE Executive Management Team (EMT) in relation to each individual application having considered the criteria under the 2013 Act.
The Drugs Group considers the NCPE assessment, the outputs from commercial engagements, patient interest group submissions, any inputs provided by the Rare Disease Technology Review Committee (RDTRC) and any other pertinent information in advance of providing its recommendation to the HSE EMT.
As the decision-making authority within the HSE, the HSE EMT decides on the basis of all the demands with which it is faced (across all services) whether it can fund a new medicine, or new uses of an existing medicine, from the resources that have been provided to it in line with the 2013 Act.
The 2013 Health Act does not include provision for a different rule set when assessing orphan medicines. However, the criteria that apply to the evaluation process allow the HSE to have particular regard for the unique circumstances surrounding orphan drugs, such as small patient populations and unmet clinical need. The overriding factor in medicines, including orphan medicines, making it through the process to reimbursement is the availability of Exchequer resources.
Budget 2021 allocated €50 million for the approval of new drugs and nineteen of the fifty-two new medicines approved by the HSE in 2021 were orphan medicines, representing over one third of approvals.
The pipeline of new medicines coming to market remains strong and this government wants to secure fast access to medicines for the most vulnerable of our patients, including those for the treatment of rare diseases. The budget allocation of €30m funding for new medicines in Budget 2022 will provide for the reimbursement of both orphan and non-orphan new medicines this year.
Disease Management
Ceisteanna (388)
Bernard Durkan
Ceist:388. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which it is expected that rare diseases are likely to become treatable in the short to medium term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17181/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
A ‘rare disease’ is defined in Europe as a life-threatening or chronically debilitating disease affecting no more than 5 people per 10,000. There are an estimated 6-8,000 known rare diseases affecting up to 6% of the total EU population, (at least 30 million Europeans), and perhaps up to 300,000 Irish people during their lives.
It can be a challenge to provide highly specialised treatment or care for patients who have complex conditions. This is especially true when the prevalence of such conditions is low, as is the case for rare diseases. This challenge is due to both the scarcity of expertise and to the scattering of small patient populations across the EU, sometimes in isolated locations where expertise does not exist or cannot be accessed.
The National Rare Disease Plan for Ireland (2014-2018) is a generic policy framework on the development and delivery of services and care for people with rare diseases. Many of the recommendations of the Plan have already been implemented including the establishment of a HSE National Clinical Programme for Rare Diseases and a National Rare Disease Office (NRDO). Meetings have taken place regularly with the HSE, NRDO and the Rare Diseases Taskforce and priority areas for the future (patient awareness, European Reference Networks, research and registries, access to services, access to medicines, diagnosis, education, legislation and policy) have been agreed with a view to building further on the significant progress made to date in implementing the Rare Disease Plan. The HSE is also working on proposals to implement the appropriate Rare Diseases coding system in Irish health care coding systems (Orphacodes). This will support the collation and reporting of rare disease data in the future.
European Reference Networks (ERNs) are virtual networks involving healthcare providers across Europe where the networking of knowledge and expertise through reference centres and teams of experts takes place. The National Rare Disease Plan elaborates on Ireland’s participation in European Reference Networks. These links are emphasized in the report to address the care of patients with rare diseases at both national and European levels.
ERNs facilitate discussion on complex and rare diseases that require highly specialised treatment and concentrated knowledge and resources. ERNs also create a clear governance structure for knowledge sharing and care coordination across the EU to improve access to diagnosis and treatment, as well as the provision of high-quality healthcare for patients.
In November 2021, Ireland’s 15 applications for entry to these ERNs were approved from 5 academic hospitals. Entry to these networks commenced on 1 January 2022 and represents a significant achievement for the Irish Health Service which will drive innovation, training and clinical research for highly specialised care. It is also a very positive development for individuals and families affected with rare diseases.
The implementation and integration of ERNs to the Irish health system is strategically aligned with the ‘Programme for Government: Our Shared Future’, which provided commitment to increase focus on rare diseases through the established of ERNs, in addition to Ireland’s first ‘National Plan for Rare Diseases (2014-2018)’ and the 2019 HSE ‘Model of Care for Rare Diseases’.
The Department has a long track record in supporting rare disease research through the Health Research Board (HRB). In the last 10 years alone, the HRB has invested €14m in rare disease research. Increased focus and investment in this research is making a difference to rare disease patients and their families. Great advances have been made in diagnosis, prognosis and prevention of rare diseases.
The pipeline of new medicines coming to market remains strong and the Department is committed to funding access to new and innovative therapies, including those for rare diseases. I want to secure faster access to medicines for the most vulnerable of our patients and am committed to making sure all patients with rare diseases get the treatment they need.
Question No. 389 answered with Question No. 387.
Medicinal Products
Ceisteanna (390)
Bernard Durkan
Ceist:390. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which he is satisfied regarding the availability and existence of sufficient stocks of drugs to treat existing and new medical conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17183/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Irish medicine supply chain has a different wholesaling model to other jurisdictions and additional stocks of medicines are routinely built into the model of pharmaceutical procurement in Ireland. The benefits of this model have been realised both during the response to Covid-19 and in preparations for Brexit and provides for supply chain resilience during periods of logistics disruption.
Unfortunately, medicine shortages can occur as they are a feature of modern health systems worldwide. There are a multitude of reasons why a medicine may not be available including: shortages of raw materials; manufacturing difficulties; or product recalls due to potential quality issues. Medicines shortages can therefore originate at any point in the supply chain and can involve and impact on many different stakeholders. Accordingly, medicines shortages require a multi-faceted, multi-stakeholder response to ensure patient safety, continuity of care and protection of public health.
Ireland has a multi-stakeholder medicine shortage framework in place, coordinated by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), to prevent, wherever possible, and manage medicine shortages when they occur.
Hospital Appointments Status
Ceisteanna (391)
Marian Harkin
Ceist:391. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health if a person will receive an urgent neurology appointment without further delay (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17184/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
Ceisteanna (392)
Francis Noel Duffy
Ceist:392. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Health if the Covid recognition payment for healthcare workers will be expanded to include front-line workers in homeless services considering they are recognised as healthcare workers and have conducted Covid-19 testing and vaccinations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17194/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Firstly, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their efforts during this most challenging period. The Government announced a COVID-19 recognition payment for front-line public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. The measure will be ring fenced to staff ordinarily on site in COVID-19 exposed healthcare environments within the period between 1 March 2020 and 30 June 2021. This payment will be made to those eligible public sector front-line healthcare staff (inclusive of agency staff working for the HSE) who worked in clinical settings, noting this list is not exhaustive: those Doctors / Nurses / Health Care Assistants / Porters / Cleaners etc. that work in clinical settings. The measure encompasses Health Care Support Assistants (also known as Home Carers / Home Help) employed by or carrying out duties contracted to the HSE.
The Department of Health appreciates the levels of interest this announcement has generated. We are working together with the HSE to provide additional details on this measure including full eligibility criteria, particulars and terms and conditions that apply. Additionally, the Department and the HSE are currently consulting with health sector trade unions on this matter. This consultation is part of the Department and HSE’s objective to finalise the application of this measure fairly. Upon conclusion of consultations with the trade unions, full details of the application process, FAQs and other particulars shall be published by the HSE. Noting that the details will be finalised once this consultation has concluded, it would be inappropriate to comment any further at this point.
The announcement covers eligible front-line healthcare workers only. I am also mindful of the many, many other workers throughout the country who played their own part during this difficult period. It is difficult to draw a line on this matter, but the Government based its decision on the risks which front-line healthcare workers faced.
Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
Ceisteanna (393)
Francis Noel Duffy
Ceist:393. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Health his engagement with an organisation (details supplied) on its request to expand the Covid recognition payment scheme to include homeless services workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17196/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Firstly, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their efforts during this most challenging period. The Government announced a COVID-19 recognition payment for front-line public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. The measure will be ring fenced to staff ordinarily on site in COVID-19 exposed healthcare environments within the period between 1 March 2020 and 30 June 2021. This payment will be made to those eligible public sector front-line healthcare staff (inclusive of agency staff working for the HSE) who worked in clinical settings, noting this list is not exhaustive: those Doctors / Nurses / Health Care Assistants / Porters / Cleaners etc. that work in clinical settings. The measure encompasses Health Care Support Assistants (also known as Home Carers / Home Help) employed by or carrying out duties contracted to the HSE. The measure further extends to those equivalent healthcare workers in private nursing homes and hospices. Arrangements for this sector encompassed by this measure are currently being progressed by the Department of Health. The announcement covers eligible front-line healthcare workers only. I am also mindful of the many, many other workers throughout the country who played their own part during this difficult period. It is difficult to draw a line on this matter, but the Government based its decision on the risks which front-line healthcare workers faced. Upon conclusion of consultations with the trade unions, full details of the application process, FAQs and other particulars shall be published by the HSE. Noting that the details will be finalised once this consultation has concluded, it would be inappropriate to comment any further at this point.
Covid-19 Pandemic
Ceisteanna (394)
Michael Healy-Rae
Ceist:394. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health when special long-Covid clinics in counties Kerry and Cork for patients who are suffering will be opened; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17200/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to reply to the Deputy directly